Explore the Region

The 11-county Greater Houston area is one of the largest and most diverse business regions in the nation. Houston's strategic, central location coupled with the infrastructure of four of the country's largest ports, two international airports and major highway and rail service make this a dynamic hub for a large cross-section of industries. The various counties also bring their own characteristics and incentives that attract sectors from advanced manufacturing to biotech. Explore what makes each area of our region unique.

The 11 Counties of Metro Houston

Austin County

Brazoria County

Chambers County

Fort Bend County

Galveston County

Harris County

Liberty County

Montgomery County

San Jacinto County

Walker County

Waller County

County Spotlight: Harris

Harris County is the largest of the 11 counties in the Greater Houston region. Almost three-quarters of the county are covered by the city of Houston and thirty smaller communities; only about 27 percent of the county is rural. The county comprises 1,778 square miles and is the largest Texas county east of the Nueces River. Harris County transportation systems serve intrastate and interstate needs with six major railroads hauling freight to distribution centers and to the port; Amtrak provides passenger rail service while METRO provides light rail and passenger bus service. Buses, trucks, and passenger cars utilize a network of highways including Interstate 10 east and west and Interstate 45 north and south. U.S. Highway 59 crosses the county from northeast to southwest and goes to the Rio Grande valley, and U.S. 290 leads to West Texas via Austin. Loop 610 encircles the heart of Houston, and a second loop, Beltway 8, allows traffic to move around the perimeter of the urban sector. Two major airports, George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby, are within the city of Houston. Leading sectors include manufacturing, trade, service, local government, transportation and warehousing and construction.